Countdown to Christmas and Bonnie Hunter Giveaway

Today I’d like to introduce you to a friend of ours. Her name is Bonnie Hunter. She’s a quilter, designer, teacher and author.

She writes a column for Quiltmaker called Addicted to Scraps. Some of the blocks she has featured are pictured above. Each image is linked to a page where you’ll find instructions for a scrappy quilt using the block. There’s a block pattern in every regular issue of Quiltmaker (a great reason to subscribe).

Cathedral Stars is just one of many free patterns at quiltville.com courtesy of Bonnie Hunter.

Bonnie does an annual online mystery quilt, which is going on right now and is always so much fun. This year’s mystery is called Easy Streetand it’s not too late to join in. It’s completely free of charge! By the way, Quiltmaker will host a Bonnie Hunter mystery in early spring 2013. Stay tuned for details!

Bonnie’s most recent addition is something she calls QuiltCam. She started QuiltCam several months ago and if you haven’t seen it yet, I hope you’ll take a look. QuiltCam is a live event from Bonnie’s sewing room. She turns on the camera and chats with anyone who is there to listen, while she pieces or presses or cuts or whatever.

This is my computer screen when Bonnie is live on Quilt Cam.

QuiltCam has gotten to be quite popular. Whenever I have watched, there have been hundreds of others watching, too. There’s a little counter so you can actually see how many people are watching at any given moment.

As Bonnie sews, she talks about her strategies for scrap quilts. She gives tips and pointers. She tells about things she has learned. She shares her opinions on a variety of topics. Sometimes she just sews quietly—and you can hear her music playing softly in the background.

This is the view from my sewing machine over to the computer where Bonnie is live on Quilt Cam.

I sometimes turn on QuiltCam because it keeps me company while I am sewing. It’s like having a girlfriend over—only you don’t have to clean up! It’s really kind of fun. My DH just shakes his head when I say, “Bonnie’s on. I’m going to sew.”

Your family members might think it’s kind of weird when you have a companion with you in your sewing area, especially if you start answering her. But who among us ever cared about stuff like that?! Go ahead and sew with Bonnie on QuiltCam, answer her if you like, and just enjoy the company.

If the screen is dark, you'll know that Bonnie is not currently live on Quilt Cam.

To be sure you understand: QuiltCam is a live event, so if Bonnie is there and has her camera on, you’ll be able to see her at quiltville.com. If the small screen is dark, it means there is no live event going on right then.

NEWSFLASH:

Update: Bonnie has scheduled QuiltCam for 9 pm Eastern on Thursday, Dec. 20. Visit QuiltCam at 9 pm Eastern for a taste of all things Quiltville.

Bonnie usually posts on Facebook and on her blog when she is planning a QuiltCam event, so it pays to “Like” Quiltville on Facebook or to subscribe to her blog so you automatically get any updates. I would estimate that QuiltCam happens a few times each week but it depends on Bonnie’s schedule. It’s quite regular in December because she is not traveling over the holidays.

Today I have two copies of String Fling for giveaway. Please leave a comment below by midnight Friday, Dec. 21 for your chance to win. Tell us in the comment if you’re already familiar with Bonnie or if this is your first introduction. We’ll choose winners after Christmas and announce them here.

About Diane Harris

I'm an editor for Quiltmaker magazine in Golden, Colorado, USA. For six years, I wrote pattern instructions, product reviews and how-to articles. Then I spent four years as QM's Interactive Editor, working to generate much of our online content. Now I'm back to patterns and how-tos, which is a great fit for me. I still love writing about quilt-related topics for Quilty Pleasures, and I always have my finger on the pulse of the quilting world. I teach a variety of quilt classes and give guild programs, too. Reach me by email: editor@quiltmaker.com.